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Heinz ad banned for comparing baked beans to protein shake

Heinz has been rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority for an ad that compared the nutritional credentials of its baked beans to a protein shake.

The spot, created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty London, was on TV in May this year and received three complaints from people who suggested it made a nutrition claim that did not comply with the BCAP Code.

It depicts a man arriving home to his family, pulling what seems to be a protein shake from the fridge and talking grandly about his "new regime", involving "protein, which I've supercharged with high fibre and minimal fat."

His wife then replies: "Same. We’re just having some beans." The screen then displays the text "High in protein. High in Fibre. Low in Fat", followed by a can of Heinz Beanz with the text, "Good for you, without going on about it".

Heinz claimed that in order to make an actual comparison between its beans and the man’s drink, the viewer would need to be able to identify the liquid, which it said was not possible. It denied that the drink was obviously a protein shake.

But the ASA decided that viewers would take the drink to be a protein shake, and would interpret the script of the ad as implying that Heinz Beanz had as much protein, fiber and fat as a protein shake.

The watchdog ruled the ad breached the BCAP Code and ordered that it not be shown again.

However, a Kraft Heinz spokesman said the ad would be brought back next year in an amended form.

"Heinz Beanz are naturally high in protein and fibre as well as being low in fat and sugar. That is not in question.

"Our popular ad, 'Good without going on about it', simply aimed to be a memory jogger about the goodness of beans in a humorous way which we believed fully met advertising requirements. In line with the ASA decision we will amend the ad which we plan to back on TV in February next year."